Alvaro Ortiz still in contention for Masters low amateur

Alvaro Ortiz played a roller coaster of a round Saturday to remain in contention for low amateur at the Masters Tournament.

Ortiz struggled on the front nine, bogeying Nos. 4, 7 and 9, before picking things up. He strung birdies together on Nos. 12 through 14 to get back to even for the tournament. He held steady until visits to two bunkers on No. 18 pushed him back to 1-over.

“I played great today. I hit the ball awesome, I just couldn't get anything out of my round, you know?” he said. “I got something going on the back nine, but I didn't take advantage of the opportunities the last couple of holes and made a bogey on the last. But overall it was a solid round.”

He said despite his struggles, he’s more frustrated because he couldn’t take advantage of more shots with the favorable conditions Saturday.

He is three shots back of Viktor Hovland for the low amateur crown. Augusta National was founded by an amateur, Bobby Jones, and Ortiz is aware of the legacy that comes with being an amateur in the Masters.

“I didn’t come specifically for that trophy, but I know it's a huge deal and just an honoring of the legacy of Mr. Jones, and winning that would be special,” he said. “I think every amateur that comes here tries to win and the green jacket, that trophy is something that not all the people have.”